Chasing Cars
by K. Lizzy A
Summary: SongFic based on Snow Patrol's "Chasing Cars" Pairing Ben/Riley, Rated T for swearing


If there was one thing Ben loved about people, it was when they were quiet; and if there was one thing he couldn't stand about Riley was when he was quiet. It usually meant that something was wrong. Either Ben had messed up and had to scramble to make things right, or Abigail had called to "talk" to Riley again. Since telling the scholar about their relationship, Abby had gotten, well, to be perfectly honest, downright bitchy. She would call at all hours of the day (and night), telling Riley that he meant nothing to Ben and telling Ben he made a huge mistake leaving her. She was convinced that she that she could change if he just gave her the chance. But Riley had been right about her even before they met; she was obsessed. Just not with treasure.

_We'll do it all  
Everything  
On our own_

_We don't need  
Anything  
Or anyone_

This time was a little different though. Instead of stressed or on the verge of a breakdown, the young man was just lying in bed with his hands behind his head, ankles crossed, and eyes closed peacefully, looking almost angelic in the afternoon light.

"Riley?" Ben asked from the doorway.

"Shh. Come lay with me."

Confused, Ben climbed onto his side of the bed and assumed the same position as his partner.

_If I lay here  
If I just lay here  
Would you lie with me and just forget the world_?

"What are we doing?"

"I said shush, I'm thinking."

Ben's eyes popped open immediately. Riley thinking internally was almost as bad as Riley being quiet.

_'What could he possibly be thinking about? It can't be bad; he looks happy, right?'_ Ben thought to himself.

Closing his eyes again, Ben stuttered out, "A-about what?", still worried about the answer he might receive.

The body next to him shifted, but the familiar weight of his techie's head on his chest and arm across his stomach did nothing to calm his over-active heartbeat.

_I don't quite know  
How to say  
How I feel_

"You," was the muffled response Ben barely heard a few minutes later.

"M-me?" He felt as if he was back in grade school, stuttering every sentence out.

"Yea, you. Us."

"What a-about us?"

Again, Riley was silent for a moment. It was then that Ben realized that Riley was as nervous as he was.

"Well, I…Are we? Umm, I mean…do you…no." Riley huffed and rolled back to his original position. "Is this for real?"

Once again, Ben was startled. He sat up to face Riley. "Ri, we've been together almost a year. We live together! I care about you more than anyone else on the planet! Of course it's for real! Why would you think it's not?"

"I didn't. I just needed to hear you say it;" with that, Riley sat up and kneeled next to Ben, looking at him in a way that Ben had never seen Riley look at anyone.

"Riley, what's wrong?"

"Nothing." Ben didn't believe him. "It's just… I realized something today"

Ben was unnerved by Riley's answer and could only imagine what he had discovered. "R-realized what, Ri? What's going on? You're scaring me."

Riley broke his gaze with Ben, suddenly finding his nails very interesting. "I didn't mean to scare you," he said quietly, picking at his already chewed-down nails. "I-"He looked up at Ben again, his gaze so powerful, it was almost as if he was looking straight into the historian's soul.

_Those three words  
Are said too much  
They're not enough_

"I love you."

Of all the things that Ben had thought Riley would say that was not one of them. Ben was dumbstruck. He knew he should say _something_. He should tell Riley that he had felt the same way for a long time, but was afraid that he would scare the young geek away. Unfortunately, he was busy doing a very good impersonation of a big mouth bass at the moment.

_If I lay here  
If I just lay here  
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?_

_Forget what we're told  
Before we get too old  
Show me a garden that's bursting into life_

"Ben? Oh god. I should've just kept my mouth shut! It was too soon, you didn't want me to say that, right? Shit! I'm so stupid!" Riley had gotten off the bed and started pacing the room, "Idiot! You're such an idiot Poole!"

_Let's waste time  
Chasing cars  
Around our heads_

_I need your grace  
To remind me  
To find my own_

The long string of explicit words that flew from Riley's mouth snapped Ben out of his stupor. "Riley, Riley! Stop it!" He yelled, grabbing the techie's hands. "I'm happy you said that! More than happy, I'm elated, overjoyed, chipper, ecstatic!"

It was Riley's turn to impersonate a woodland creature in absolute surprise. His big blue doe-eyes were stretched to their limits. "W-wha? I don't- huh?"

"I love you too, Riley."

"W-what? You what?"

"Riley Scott Poole, I love you!" Ben yelled, ignoring Riley's semi-permanent deer-in-the-headlights look.

_All that I am  
All that I ever was  
Is here in your perfect eyes, they're all I can see_

"But, you- you didn't-"

"I thought you were going to leave me." Ben said softly, looking down at the younger man.

"What? No! I'd never leave you! Why would you-?" Riley looked like he was thinking back to what he had said, "Shit shit shit, I'm an idiot. I'm so sorry Ben! I didn't mean to scare you!"

Ben pulled Riley back down onto the bed with him and looked him in the eye, "I know you didn't, babe, you're not an idiot; I am. For not saying how I felt sooner and not showing that I care and not-"

Riley effectively cut him off with his lips, "I'm the rambler, remember?" With that he pushed Ben back down so he was lying on his back comfortably wrapped in a Riley blanket. "I love you, Ben."

_I don't know where  
Confused about how as well  
Just know that these things will never change for us at all_

"I love you too, Ri."

_If I lay here  
If I just lay here  
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?_


End file.
